Week 3, August 14th

20.8.13

Ciao la mia BELLA famiglia!
Okay, so this week has been NUTS, but so AWESOME too.
Sunday was like a spiritual EXPLOSION. I think I told you about it in my letter, but I forgot to add some lists I made from the Testaments. Which by the way is an awesome movie and you should watch it. But in case you don't want to, here is all you'll need to learn from it:

How to pick up chicks 101

1. Throw rocks at her

2. Use creepy pick up lines

3. Trip over the baskets

FOOLPROOF.

How to get out of a marriage 101

1. "Is the place of records far...?"

So that's what I learned from the testaments.

It is the best movie EVER, besides Harry Potter, and World War Z.

Moving on, last night we had devotional and DO YOU KNOW WHO SPOKE???!

Elder RICHARD G. SCOTT. I forgot my glasses, so I couldn't see who it was but I could sure feel it. He walked in the room and BAM the Spirit was so strong. He talked to us about praying sincerely, and struggling through a mission, and gave us an apostolic blessing to those of us learning a language. It was so powerful and I bawled like a baby. After the closing prayer, as he was walking out, he yells "Be good". We all waved like crazy and said "we love you". It was such an incredible experience.

Also, I got to go to the temple this morning. Didn't see grandpa again... The temple is gorgeous. I'm on such a spiritual high right now, which is great because I am SO busy. I have a new calling; it is Sister Trainer.Basically I am in charge of all the girls in the zone and coordinate with the Zone leaders to “take care” of our zone.Think of it like this….So, the MTC is Hogwarts.The Italians are Gryffindor because we are valiant and courageous, and yes a little bit cocky.And everyone in our school building is annoyed with us because we all yell, “Ciao!” down the hall spesso (often).The Russians are Slytherin because they think we’re super annoying and let’s face it, they speak Parseltongue.The Portuguese are Hufflepuff because they stay in the basement and we only see them like 2 times a week.And finally, the Thai are Ravenclaws because they study so diligently.So, the district leaders are like prefects and zone leaders are like Head Boys.So, I’m like Head Girl.It’s a bit intimidating but they like me so I feel like it’ll be alright.I’m so grateful for my zone and how obedient we all are and not just because it’s expected of us, but because we want to.We are so strong together.

This new calling entails a lot of meetings, and as a matter of fact, I get to welcome two new Thai districts tonight. It'll be fun being on the "older" end of the missionaries....

So, yeah that is what I’ve been up to, staying busy and creating Harry Potter metaphors.

Other than that, I'm busy with my investigators. I'm teaching Dario, an atheist, who is struggling to accept that God is real. It's very frustrating because we honestly can't move on until he accepts that. So we're trying to figure out just what exactly he needs. I have a feeling he knows it's true, but he's not willing to act on it, which is even more frustrating. Susanna, on the other hand, is progressing beautifully. Her husband passed away about a year ago, and so we recently taught her the plan of salvation. When we got to the spirit world, she asked, "so my husband is in Prison?" and I said, "The Spirit prison is more like a school than a prison. Your husband is learning and growing in the gospel too with missionaries like you!" and she seemed to like that very much. She came to church with us too.

Also, we recently taught Giovanni, who is a less active member. He has such a strong testimony, but his sister passed away a month ago and he is struggling to accept why God would do that to him. We went into a lesson the other day with a plan to teach him about praying sincerely, but threw it out the window and taught a BEAUTIFUL lesson about l'amore di Dio (The Love of God). The Spirit was SO strong and he cried a few times and so did I. and our Italiano was bellissimo, so that's always a blessing.

On Sunday the 11th, we had music and the spoken word.One of the songs was “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the Broadway musical Carousel.One of the lyrics is “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high-for you’ll never walk alone.”Ah!So Beautiful!Then, we had Relief Society and we got to hear from Rosemary M. Wixom, the general primary president.She is amazing, seriously she is radiant with the Spirit and bore such a powerful message to us.She had us sing, “I hope they call me on a mission.But, she changed the words to “I am glad they called me on a mission.Look at me!I’ve grown a foot or two.I’m ready to be a missionary, and teach and preach and work as missionaries do.”Love it! I'm skeptical about the growing a foot or two but it's a nice concept.

All in all, I am progressing in the gospel and as I become closer to my Father in Heaven, and the more I trust in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the more I can feel myself stretching and molding and becoming an instrument in Their hands. This calling has been great for me as well, because I'm able to use my intuitive nature and minister to the girls when they need it most. Most of all, I'm learning to trust 100 percent in the Spirit. And I know for a fact that EXACT obedience brings MIRACLES. I need one to learn this language. ;)

Other than that, I'm just trying to survive the MTC. I can NOT wait to get out in the field. Here in the MTC instead of saying "there's an app for that", it's "there's a rule for that." we are very limited on what we can and can't do. But we just have to trust that the rules are there for our benefit and that we will be blessed for being obedient and that's strangely alike to the Gospel. Think about it. It’s deep.

But I am enjoying it. Every day I grow closer to my Father in Heaven. I am OVERWHELMED by the love He gives me.I am excited to share His love for me and for His children and Jesus Christ’s love for us.He loves us enough to die and atone for the sins of the world.Such matchless love!And you know what I realized, that if Jesus had to go through all that He did to just save one person,He would have done it.That’s how much he loves us!It’s unfathomable to me!

Mail time is seriously the best time of the day. Hint.

Alright, well, I'm signing off.

I love, love, LOVE you all. Hugs and kisses.

Here is some pictures of this week's adventures. I ran into Chase! Erm, Elder Acheson. President Acheson? haha He is getting ready to head out into the field. I am glad that I got to see him before he left.

All we do is study.

And drink Dr. Pepper. Thank you all for supporting my bad habit :).

I saw Camlyn the day before she departed for Mississippi. I am going to miss her.

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"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” ― Roald Dahl